During tonight’s matchup between the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers, it wasn’t Stephen Curry’s signature long-range shooting or flashy handle that caught attention. Instead, NBC commentators focused on his defense: a part of Curry’s game that has rarely been front-page material for most of his career. The moment came as Curry stripped the ball from the hands of Clippers star James Harden, earning immediate praise from the broadcast.

Former player Grant Hill, who played against Steph late in his career, said, “Steph was a liability. People would pick on him on defense.” He said, pointing to the steal, “Right there, takes the challenge and gets the cookies on defense. And I think him getting stronger physically, but also taking more pride on that end. You’ve seen that improvement in those defensive isolations.”

Postgame, Curry admitted, “It was a defensive effort… a great defensive performance.” The rejuvenated Warriors proved, despite their age, they’re still elite on both sides of the court.

Coming from Hill, who has worked closely with Curry for the Paris Olympics as a part of USA Basketball, this shows the respect from a decorated veteran.

Hill’s co-commentator Terry Gannon quickly added, “But he has gotten stronger as well. There’s no doubt about it,” before Hill nodded in agreement. The exchange was telling: it was a recognition of the physical transformation Curry has undertaken over the last few years.

As far back as 2022, Curry has spoken about putting on significantly more muscle, especially compared to his unanimous MVP season in 2016. He said back then, “Just taking on physical defenses and being able to defensively take bigger blows and guard bigger guys. With the added strength, I’ve kept my endurance where it goes hand in hand…. I’m not getting bumped and bruised like I used to, so it helps all the way around.”

Even during this offseason, Steph spoke about how his training and workouts have changed. “It has evolved drastically [over the past decade] from when I started this camp to now in terms of building out the schedule of on-and-off-court stuff and how to pace yourself through an offseason,” the guard said at his annual Curry Camp in August.

“I’m nerding out on heart rate stuff, foot contacts, checking all of the boxes of movement and skill relevant to my game.” All the wrinkles to his prep have helped him achieve a new physique and let him maintain peak performance as he heads into his 17th NBA season at age 37.

Golden State Warriors Lock Down LA Clippers to Continue Hot Start

The Golden State Warriors delivered a huge win at Chase Center tonight, completely shutting down the LA Clippers’ offense to win 98-79. This win snaps their 7-game losing streak to the Clippers, and it is owed to their disciplined defense.

Jimmy Butler led the Warriors in scoring with 21 points on an efficient 9/12 from the field. Notably, Golden State only drew five fouls all game tonight, but the Warriors’ continued perimeter attack (17/45 from 3) offset their 3-4 outing from the line.

The tide turned at halftime. Golden State managed to turn a three-point deficit into complete dominance, holding the Clippers to just 30 points in the second half. James Harden, who led the Clippers with 20 points in the first half, was held scoreless in the last two quarters as Draymond Green and co. clamped down hard.

Green himself stuffed the stat sheet, recording 7 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals. Stephen Curry added 19 points and a game-high 8 assists in a poised lead guard performance.

Golden State’s young core showed out tonight. Quinten Post and Brandin Podziemski scored 12 points each, adding energy to the lineups. Clippers center Ivica Zubac recorded a 14-point, 13-rebound double-double, and Kawhi Leonard dropped 18 points.

But their ice-cold shooting (36% from the field, 6-33 from three) led to the Clippers being held to their lowest point total in four years. Golden State will look to carry this momentum against the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night to maintain its top-three position in the Western Conference.